Impenitence
by BlueRoxx
Summary: They wanted answers. He had them. Find out when Zuko and a surprise guest decide to visit Ozai in his holding cell. A little bit of Maiko. *a month after the war*
1. Looking Back at the Past

**Yay! Welcome to my second fic. Find out what happens to when Zuko decides to again confront his father. The results will be shocking...... When you've finished reading, be sure to review! I need all the feedback I can get. Cheers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

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_Zuko walks down the long hallway to his father's holding cell, hand in hand with Mai and another woman. Many thoughts rush through the Fire Lord's mind, and he's unsure on what to tell his father. He nods to the guard at Ozai's cell, a sign for the guard to open the gate._

"Mai," Zuko says, "You don't have to come. This could end badly."

"Are you sure?"'

"I think it would be better if you waited out here."

"Ok then."

_Zuko pulls Mai into a passionate kiss, before he enters the cell. He holds a finger to the other woman, telling her to hold on. He closes the gate behind him and finds his father, sitting, his wrists handcuffed. The miserable, dirty look on his father's face makes Zuko think twice about talking to him. But he feels as if he needs to do this........_

"Must I bow down to your gracious presence, oh mighty Fire Lord Zuko?" asked Ozai sarcastically.

"Look at you. A month of imprisonment does change you much, does it?" Zuko asked.

_(grunts)_

"The Avatar spares your pathetic life, _I _spare your pathetic life, and you're still a disgrace to yourself," says Zuko.

"Hmmph. You must be lucky that I spared _your_ life. See, that scar on your face? Remember that day? That day in which I taught you a lesson needed to be learned, Zuko? You could've died on the spot, do you know that? And what about when your mother made a deal with me to be banished, preventing you from being killed? See, Zuko? It's pretty ironic for _you_ to tell me to be lucky to be alive," Ozai says.

"And you're proud of what you've done? That's what makes us different. I've looked back at the past; I know that I've done wrong and I would take back what I've done in a second. But you? You gloat and praise yourself until you can't take it anymore. Your proud of your so called glory. But answer this question: Why are you suffering in prison, eating scraps, if you've done things so worthy of praise?"

"You watch what you say to me, Zuko! I'm still your father."

"YOU SCAR ME FOR LIFE, TAKE MY MOTHER AWAY FROM ME, AND TELL _ME_ TO WATCH WHAT I SAY? Hmmph. You ruined my life to feel better about your useless life."

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, Zuko. If you're trying to make me feel guilty of the things I've done, trying to make me apologize, it's not going to work."

"You never WILL learn, will you? I don't know when you'll ever have the cold hard facts enter your hardheaded mind. You are rotting in a filthy holding cell and you haven't taken a simple moment of guilt for what you've done? You haven't a wonder in the world what you've done to deseve this treatment?"

_There is a long period of silence that follows. Zuko calms down and takes another look at his father. He tries to search for any ounce of guilt or regret in his eyes. But he finds none. Zuko shakes his head in disgust. He is then reminded of his sister. Azula and Ozai were so much alike. They never felt guilty for their actions, but they felt proud and they praised themselves continuously. He wonders if Azula feels just as proud in her own holding cell._

"Why are you here, anyway?" Ozai asked slowly. "Are you through with your attempts to make me regret what I've done?"

"The last time I was here, I demanded to know where my mother was. But since you were no help, I turned to other sources." Zuko turns around, opens the gate, and motions for the woman to go inside.

"So? What does this have to do wit........"

_Ozai sits in shock as he sees his former wife before his eyes. She still looked like how she did before, same gold eyes, same long black hair._

"Ur...........ur......"

_Ozai tries to say her name, but he just can't get it out of his mouth. It's been so long since he had said it last..._


	2. Letting Go

**Thxs for all the reviews! So far, this story has been more successful than the other one I did. Well, I hope you enjoy the last chapter! (sob, sob!) Be sure to keep those reviews coming once you've finished reading! Cheers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

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_Ozai, still shocked at seeing Ursa, tries not to let it show on his face, but it does....._

"Isn't that something? When I was banished, you called _me_ a disgrace to the Fire Nation," Ursa said.

"Leave..... my....... cell," Ozai ordered.

"You have no idea how your destructive your schemes were. You favored Azula over Zuko and you turned her into a monster. Now she's in a mental health facility. You banished me and Zuko, you tried to _kill _Zuko, and you put this world through all kinds of turmoil during this long war."

"LEAVE!" Ozai yelled.

_Zuko looked down at his father, and recognized the look he had on his face. He was once again reminded of Azula, when she went mad after she was defeated._

"I now know why you've done all those things," Zuko said. "You wanted to prove to your father that you were worthy of honor, just as I wanted to prove to you. In doing that, the whole world was turned upside down. But after all you've done.......... I have the heart............. to forgive you."

_Ursa, teary-eyed, puts one hand on her heart and one on Zuko's shoulder._

"I'm so proud of you Zuko," she said shakily.

_Zuko takes her hand off his shoulder and holds it, as they look on at Ozai, who can't bare to look at them anymore. After a while, Ursa and Zuko leave the cell._

"Are you two okay?" Mai asked after they came out of the cell. She noticed the tear flowing down Ursa's cheek.

"We talk about it over tea at Uncle's tea shop," Zuko suggested.

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_Once they arrive at the Jasmine Dragon, Iroh quickly starts to brew tea for them. Once it is ready and served, he pours himself a cup and decides to sit with them and hear about their visit._

"At first, it was just a constant argument between me and him. Even though he seemed a mess after all that time in the holding cell, he stood his ground, saying that he did not regret the things he did in the past. But after he saw my mother again, I guess it broke him down in a sense. He started yelling at us, telling us to leave. But then I told him that I forgave him. I could've swore that a tear was forming in his eye, but his face was turned away, I wasn't exactly sure."

"I know how hard that must've been for you, Zuko. But I am very proud of you," Iroh said. "Traveling with the Avatar did you good."

"I'm proud of you too," Mai said, cupping her hand on his cheek.

_More tears came to Ursa's eyes. She hadn't said a word since she left the cell._

"Ursa?" Iroh asked. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing fine, thanks," she said wiping her tears. "I'm just so happy that you had the heart to forgive him, Zuko."

"It was definitely hard, but it was something I had to do. I had to let him go........

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_Back at the holding cell, Ozai is bitter as ever. He reminisces the people who visited him, Ursa the most. He remembers the terrified look in her eyes back when she begged for Zuko to live, and he remembers how angry and vengeful she was when she was in his cell. Then he shakes his head to erase the painful memories. He looks at his reflection on the shiny, metal walls of his cell. Then, all of a sudden, he sees Ursa's face instead of his own. He shakes his head again, but this time, the image remains. Then he hears a soft voice asking,_

"Why, Ozai? Why did you do this to me?"

_Ozai is puzzled at the hallucination and concludes that he is losing his mind. He begs the image to go away, until he cries miserably._

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**Like father, like daughter.....  
****As I said before, the results would be shocking.  
Ozai? Crying?!?!?!  
**

**But thank you for taking the time to read my story! Hope to write for you soon!**


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